FIGHTING FEAR
Australia, 2011, 85 minutes, Colour.
Joel Edgerton, Mark Mathews, Richie ‘Vas’ Vaculik, Kelly Slater.
Directed by Macario De Souza.
Fighting Fear is a documentary about surfing and sports, narrated by Joel Edgerton (who made the film Warrior about multi-martial arts at this time).
The subject of the film is Mark Mathews, a champion surfer, and his friend Richie ‘Vas’ Vaculik, also a surfer but anxious to make his name in multi-martial arts. Both of them achieve their ambitions.
They had appeared in Bra Boys (Bra short for Maroubra). It was a story of the surfers – with their touch of rebellion at Maroubra Beach. This time the film focuses very much on their friendship, showing home movies of their past, recreating scenes of their childhood, one sticking up for the other. As they grow up, they share their love for the surf as well as all sports. While Mark Mathews carved out a career in surfing, with some injuries which seemed to hinder the possibilities of comeback, he nevertheless did and became a champion. There are testimonies from many other surfers who admire Mathews, including the champion, Kelly Slater. In the meantime, Vas has a job in carpet-laying, faces a jail term, has a girlfriend with whom there are various ups and downs.
Despite all the difficulties and the limitations of their backgrounds, both make good.
The film shows the details of Maroubra Beach and life at Maroubra. It also features an enormous number of waves – in spectacular close-up, in Australia, Hawaii and, especially, on the coast of Tasmania.
Macario De Souza co-wrote Bra Brothers and co-directed it. This time he has acted as director, producer, cinematographer and editor.
1. The specialist audience for this kind of film? General audience? Australians, sports lover, surf lovers, multi-martial arts? Biographies?
2. The title, the theme of fear, as illustrated and discussed?
3. The action sequences, the surf, the majesty of the waves, the dangers, the surfers’ stills, the close-ups? Locations, Australia, Hawaii, Maroubra Beach, the coast of Tasmania?
4. The multi-martial arts sequences? Bouts and skills?
5. The biography of the two men, the home movies? Boys from Maroubra, the suburbs, the visuals, the beach, swimming and surfing, age and growing up, friends, one being bullied and the other defying the bullies, their development into adults?
6. The value of the voice-over, Joel Edgerton? The range of interviews, the personalities, the honest statements about each of the characters, their strengths, limits, values?
7. Mark and his life, focused on the surf, not worried about money, the variety of tournaments, success, searching for sponsors, the difficulties, building up his career, becoming a champion, the injury, recovery, future sponsors?
8. Mark as a friend, relationships, the background of his family, travel, his not wanting to commit himself permanently?
9. Vas, the background of the surf and his success, friendship with Mark, going into competitions, the relationship with Lucy, the ups and downs, the break, her persevering, his ambitions, in the multi-martial arts, winning? Lucy and the building up of the relationship?
10. The story of two 20th century young men, their life, family, break-ups, achievements, the importance of discipline, their initial rowdiness, change for the better, responsibilities and success?
11. The testimony of the American surfers, especially Kelly Slater? Australian friends?
12. Putting a human face to successful sports stories, the blend of action and the personal?
